Mr. Mahoney...please relay this to Ms. Frost-Brooks

John Curry to Mike Mahoney, May 12, 2009

Mr. Mahoney...would you please see that OEA President, Ms. Brooks, receives this? She didn't send the original to me but rather relied on you to forward so..I'm asking for a return favor.

I would think that the OEA, as stated by Ms. Brooks in an April 2009 letter (below) to me, will back Representative Huffman's bill as Ms. Frost-Brooks in her letter to me stated, "In light of the magnitude of market losses, we support the Board’s actions to suspend the bonus program and make reductions going forward." Please let me know if Ms. Frost Brooks and the OEA WILL BACK this bill. I will be eagerly awaiting your (or her) response.
[Link to Patricia Frost-Brooks' letter of 3/31/09: http://kathiebracy.blogspot.com/2009/03/ms-frost-brooks-forgot-to-mention-how.html]

Thank you,
John Curry
A retired stakeholder of STRS
A former 30-year member of the OEA
A member of Concerned Ohio Retired Educators

OEA and a half-truth

From John Curry, April 30, 2009

Below is a March 20, 2009 memo from OEA President Patricia Frost-Brooks to OEA District Leaders and OEA Presidents stating (see the yellow highlighted area) Ms. Frost-Brook's apparent disagreement "with bonus payments to investment officers in years when STRS loses money."

Now, please read the two attachments taken from the "approved" STRS Board meeting minutes of March 20, 2009. These two pertinent pages are attached and labeled "XIV" and "XV" and show how three of the OEA's active teacher Board members actually voted on the first round in the voting to accept the "Staff Benefits Committee's recommendation dated March 20, 2009" to temporarily suspend the bonuses. You will notice that the OEA-endorsed active teacher Board members Tim Myers, Mark Meuser and Conni Ramser all voted "no!" The only OEA-endorsed active teacher Board member who cast a "yes" vote to temporarily quash the investment bonuses was Columbus Education Association's Tai Hayden. She is to be congratulated for her courage and insight.

After another vote (see the attachments) and the statement from STRS's Executive Director Nehf that the State Teachers Retirement System staff could live with the suspension of the bonuses did two of the OEA naysayers (Myers and Meuser) finally come around to vote to temporarily freeze the bonuses. Still, on that final vote, OEA's Conni Ramser cast an "abstain" vote. Ms. Frost-Brooks didn't mention, in her letter above, the whole story, did she? What she related was a half truth. Of course, most active educators will not know that, will they? I'm also sure the OEA won't go out of their way to present this documentation to their membership.

John Curry

P.S. Concerning Ms. Frost-Brooks reference to Dr. Dennis Leone as a "dissident board member"....he is "fearful about the financial future of STRS." Well, so is STRS Board candidate Jim Stoll and so should every reader of this email be "fearful about the financial future of STRS." Dr. Leone has curbed more entitlements at STRS during the past four years as a board member than I have fingers and toes. Ms. Frost-Brooks didn't go into specifics on that one either, did she?

From Michael Mahoney, March 20, 2009
To: OEA Board of Directors
OEA District Leaders
OEA Local Presidents
From: OEA Communications and Governmental Services
Re: STRS Bonuses, Investment Performance and Board Elections
Relaying a message from the OEA officers:

STRS Board candidate James Stoll recently distributed an e-mail to many Ohio educators that seeks to further his election campaign by alarming members of STRS about the fund’s market losses and “outrageous” bonuses for employees. STRS lost $33 billion in market value in its most recent fiscal year. The STRS system also paid bonuses to 83 employees for outperforming the market - losing less than comparable funds.

The Ohio Education Association is deeply concerned about STRS market losses. OEA does not agree with bonuses payments to investment officers in years when STRS loses money. As a result, OEA commends the recent vote by the STRS board to suspend 2009 bonuses, as well as formation of a board committee of the whole to address investment performance. However, OEA feels strongly that Mr. Stoll’s recent e-mail was a cynical exploitation of the emotions of educators, including a quote from dissident board member Dennis Leone, in an attempt to make them fearful about the financial future of STRS and cast a vote for Stoll.

During comments to promote his candidacy during the public participation period at the STRS board meeting this week, another odd practice, Stoll boasted he has a list of 145,000 educator e-mail addresses, presumably to further his campaign. Earlier, he had sued to obtain e-mail addresses from STRS, but the Ohio Supreme Court declined to hear his case, upholding a policy to protect the privacy of member e-mail.

OEA has recommended the election Stoll’s opponent, Carol Correthers of the Lorain Education Association, to the active STRS board seat. We believe she has the temperament, qualifications and judgment to serve on the board.

Stoll never sought OEA’s recommendation and did not go to an OEA screening. Moreover his recent e-mail confirms our position. OEA must address this situation, but we apologize for any inconvenience our e-mail to you may cause. If you do not want to receive further e-mails on this subject, please click here or send your request to communic@ohea.org.

Cc: All OEA Staff
Click images to enlarge.

.................................................................................

And OEA insists they legally do not and cannot tell STRS Board members what to do and how to vote: yet we know they do from STRS Board members -- though fearful of even saying it publicly.

~ Molly Janczyk

Dr. Leone challenges the OEA to a debate! "OEA can pick the date, the time, and location. I will be there."

From Molly Janczyk, April 20, 2009
OEA hides behind closed doors when asked for open debate.

They have never even responded to requests.

Not their style which is to hurl accusations hoping something sticks with their loyalists regardless of truth-even when facts are proven correct by their opponents.

Silence is their modus operandi coupled with repeated attacks of any who may disagree with them. They haven't the nerve to debate. Bill L. literally shakes when directly aproached with facts, hangs his head and cannot come up with on the spot reasons for his behind the scenes letters. His way is to write letters without any resistance and put out inuendo.

HOW DO I KNOW? I have directly approached him, confronted him, met with him when he was in the room with those who politely do not support him. I and others have noticed his obvious discomfort in a 'live' venue. Easy to sit behind a desk and issue statements, tell others he will help them write letters and speak to supporters or to STRS behind a podium with no one able to question him.

He hasn't the courage for a real debate in a live setting.

My opinion based on years of communication with him.

-----
Dennis Leone: A bold challenge to Pat Frost-Brooks, Bill Leibensperger and Tim Myers

Think they're up to it?

From Dennis Leone, April 20, 2009

I remember several things very, very clearly about the statewide communication by OEA President Gary Allen in the summer of 2003. (It advised OEA members to contact Bill Leibensperger if they had further questions.) Allen described my 2003 findings of STRS board/staff wasteful spending (and this is verbatim) as “misrepresentations,” as “destructive” and “written with unclear motive.” These things I will never forget. He also wrote in this statewide email of how OEA supported Herb Dyer and the big spender STRS board members of that time period (six of whom – Jack Chapman, Hazel Sidaway, Eugene Norris, Debra Scott, Michael Billirakis, and Joe Endry – all were later convicted in court of ethics violations, along with Herb Dyer himself). Allen wrote this during the summer of 2003, after my 13-page report came out in May of that year. In the recent 2009 statewide email, OEA is now calling me a “dissident board member.” While I was the only board member who originally pushed for the suspension of bonus checks – which OEA now says it supports – OEA-backed board members Ramser, Meuser, and Myers did NOT vote in support of the bonus suspension. OEA writes that it is proud of these three STRS board members – but strangely did not say it is proud of STRS board member Tai Hayden, who also is an OEA member. Was this because she voted in favor of what I proposed, which was the bonus suspension? OEA has sunk to a new low, and apparently is not even aware that its own board members at STRS (except Tai Hayden) are voting against what OEA says it supports.

I would love to have the opportunity to debate the current STRS issues in a public forum with Patricia Frost-Brooks and Bill Leibensperger sitting across the table. Is there anyone out there who could arrange such a thing? OEA can pick the date, the time, and location. I will be there. Board member Tim Myers says the teachers he has spoken to in his district – Elida Local Schools – are NOT opposed to the current bonus checks. I’d love to have the opportunity to address them as well. Betcha Myers isn’t willing to set it up. I recall once asking for an audience with the Dublin City School District teachers after the Dublin teacher union president Dawn Leibensperger (does that name sound familiar?) gave her opinion of my 2003 report to the teachers there. My “equal time” request, of course, was denied by Mrs. Leibensperger. In fact, she expressed her distaste that I even asked for it.

There are emails, letters, and tapes that verify everything I have said above.

Dennis Leone

Dennis Leone: A bold challenge to Pat Frost-Brooks, Bill Leibensperger and Tim Myers

Think they're up to it?

From Dennis Leone, April 20, 2009

I remember several things very, very clearly about the statewide communication by OEA President Gary Allen in the summer of 2003. (It advised OEA members to contact Bill Leibensperger if they had further questions.) Allen described my 2003 findings of STRS board/staff wasteful spending (and this is verbatim) as “misrepresentations,” as “destructive” and “written with unclear motive.” These things I will never forget. He also wrote in this statewide email of how OEA supported Herb Dyer and the big spender STRS board members of that time period (six of whom – Jack Chapman, Hazel Sidaway, Eugene Norris, Debra Scott, Michael Billirakis, and Joe Endry – all were later convicted in court of ethics violations, along with Herb Dyer himself). Allen wrote this during the summer of 2003, after my 13-page report came out in May of that year. In the recent 2009 statewide email, OEA is now calling me a “dissident board member.” While I was the only board member who originally pushed for the suspension of bonus checks – which OEA now says it supports – OEA-backed board members Ramser, Meuser, and Myers did NOT vote in support of the bonus suspension. OEA writes that it is proud of these three STRS board members – but strangely did not say it is proud of STRS board member Tai Hayden, who also is an OEA member. Was this because she voted in favor of what I proposed, which was the bonus suspension? OEA has sunk to a new low, and apparently is not even aware that its own board members at STRS (except Tai Hayden) are voting against what OEA says it supports.

I would love to have the opportunity to debate the current STRS issues in a public forum with Patricia Frost-Brooks and Bill Leibensperger sitting across the table. Is there anyone out there who could arrange such a thing? OEA can pick the date, the time, and location. I will be there. Board member Tim Myers says the teachers he has spoken to in his district – Elida Local Schools – are NOT opposed to the current bonus checks. I’d love to have the opportunity to address them as well. Betcha Myers isn’t willing to set it up. I recall once asking for an audience with the Dublin City School District teachers after the Dublin teacher union president Dawn Leibensperger (does that name sound familiar?) gave her opinion of my 2003 report to the teachers there. My “equal time” request, of course, was denied by Mrs. Leibensperger. In fact, she expressed her distaste that I even asked for it.

There are emails, letters, and tapes that verify everything I have said above.

Dennis Leone
STRS Retiree Board Member
April 20, 2009

FLASHBACK.........Gee, Gary , do you still think Dennis's logic is difficult to follow?

From John Curry, April 4, 2009

What's difficult to follow is the logic behind the current OEA President's (Patricia Frost-Brooks) public statements about how the OEA is against bonuses in an economic downturn and yet the majority of her OEA endorsed STRS Board members (Myers, Meuser, Ramser) didn't support the motion to freeze bonuses at the recent STRS Board meeting...now THAT'S LOGIC THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO FOLLOW! John

http://kathiebracy.blogspot.com/2007/06/flashback-4-years-ago-day-gary.html

Sunday, June 03, 2007

FLASHBACK -- 4 years ago -- The day Gary questioned Dennis's motives!

"Meanwhile, the Ohio Education Association came to the defense of Dyer and the STRS. The teacher union’s president, Gary L. Allen, sent an e-mail message to his executive committee, district leaders, advisory council, local presidents and STRS board members questioning the motives of Dennis Leone, the Chillicothe City Schools superintendent who is largely responsible for calling attention to the STRS spending spree."

“Mr. Leone’s motives for his decision to broadcast his claims far and wide are unclear,” Allen wrote. “Much of his logic is difficult to follow.”

Allen suggested that Leone’s efforts were “destructive.”

New leadership urged for state retirement system

Canton Repository, June 13, 2003
By PAUL E. KOSTYU
Copley Columbus Bureau chief

CHILLICOTHE — A lawmaker who helps oversee Ohio’s five retirement systems called Thursday for the resignation of the executive director of the State Teachers Retirement System, while another said the system’s books need to be audited.

Sen. Kirk Schuring, R-Jackson Township, said it is time for Herbert Dyer to go, following revelations this week that the system has spent more than $15 million on staff bonuses, artwork and travel in three years while the system’s investments plummeted by $12.3 billion during that same time.

Schuring said Dyer has lost the confidence of the STRS members and new leadership is needed. In his fifth year on the Ohio Retirement Study Council, Schuring is its former chairman.

Rep. John Boccieri, D-New Middletown and a council member, said Dyer does not understand that the money spent by the STRS board “is not the board’s money or his money.” Boccieri, whose parents are STRS members, wants an audit of the system’s books, but he said calling for Dyer’s resignation “is a bit premature.” State Auditor Betty Montgomery said in an e-mail Thursday she was concerned about “what we are being required to do in our state retirement systems” and that her office will “raise serious questions” about STRS policies.

Meanwhile, the Ohio Education Association came to the defense of Dyer and the STRS. The teacher union’s president, Gary L. Allen, sent an e-mail message to his executive committee, district leaders, advisory council, local presidents and STRS board members questioning the motives of Dennis Leone, the Chillicothe City Schools superintendent who is largely responsible for calling attention to the STRS spending spree.

“Mr. Leone’s motives for his decision to broadcast his claims far and wide are unclear,” Allen wrote. “Much of his logic is difficult to follow.”

Allen suggested that Leone’s efforts were “destructive.”

While Allen was sending his message to OEA leaders, the union’s rank and file were lining up behind the superintendent who has become a hero to many.

Leone, lawmakers and news media reported getting numerous calls and e-mail messages backing his efforts and calling for action. All 120 e-mail messages Leone received from administrators, teachers and retirees thanked him, asked how they could help or encouraged him to continue. A couple suggested a class action lawsuit.

Allen said there was no relationship between his criticism of Leone and the fact that a current STRS board member is a former OEA president.

Michael Billirakis is a past president of OEA and Dawn Leibensperger, the wife of an OEA employee, was active in his election bid. Leibensperger is an OEA president in Dublin, in central Ohio. Billirakis billed STRS $9,923 over three years for expenses, including trips to San Francisco, Boston (twice), Atlanta, Tacoma, Wash., and Anchorage, Alaska. He was one of the lowest spending board members. The top spender is Hazel Sidaway of Plain Township, who spent $54,216, which included 25 trips requiring airfare.

Allen said the past spending habits of Dyer and the board are “old news” and it is time for the system to move forward. He said, however, changes should be made in how bonuses are awarded to employees. Schuring said he has heard repeatedly from constituents who have been in touch with Dyer.

“I am appalled with the kind of response my constituents have gotten from him,” he said. “He is a brash, arrogant and condescending man.

“We need a new leader who takes these matters seriously and not be part of any plan to spend money unwisely.”

Sen. Lynn R. Wachtmann, R-Napoleon and chairman of the council, wrote to a constituent in February that STRS did not move fast enough to prevent cuts in the health-care benefits of retirees. Wachtmann said earlier this week that he wants more hearings on the STRS spending and its health-care program.

Sen. Jim Jordan, R-Urbana but not on the study council, also writing to a constituent, said on May 28 that “Mr. Leone raises a number of valid issues pointing (to) mismanagement and inefficient use of funds by STRS.”

Leone said his motive is clear: “To get the board to change its spending practices and respond to its members.”

“This year there was a long and ugly teacher strike in the Eastern Local School District south of Chillicothe that the OEA rightfully supported,” Leone said. “What would have the reaction been from OEA and teachers if they found out the Eastern school board was spending like the STRS board? There would have been outrage if the board was flying to Hawaii, giving principals bonuses and purchasing polished stones for the superintendent’s office.”

Columbus Dispatch re OEA staff wages: The OEA pays 102 employees six-figure salaries; five get more than governor

http://dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/11/29/unionyes.ART_ART_11-29-08_A1_5PC2RH8.html?sid=101
OEA staff wages

Teachers union's pay a surprise to many

Saturday, November 29, 2008

By Bill Bush
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
The average salary for Ohio teachers dropped last year for the first time in at least seven years, but that's not the case for most employees of the state's largest teachers union.

Counting everyone from receptionists up to the executive director, the median salary for the 234-person staff of the Columbus-based Ohio Education Association is nearly $82,000.

The OEA pays 102 employees six-figure salaries, including 34 who made more than $120,000 for the fiscal year that ended in August.

The highest paid employee is Executive Director Dennis Reardon, who was paid $176,317, according to the union's annual report on file with the U.S. Department of Labor.

OEA President Patricia Frost-Brooks was paid $172,574, and the union's vice president and treasurer each were paid about $151,400.

"My gut feeling is that the average school teacher in our district has no idea what the average (union representative) is making," said Kevin Fourman, past president of the Bucyrus Education Association.

In all, three-fourths of the OEA staff make more than the $53,410 the average Ohio teacher was paid last school year, and almost one-third made more than the $113,890 average salary of the state's superintendents.

The OEA's officers and employees also were reimbursed a total of more than $2 million for business expenses, which the annual report doesn't detail. Almost half the staff were reimbursed more than $10,600 each, with the top reimbursement of $40,463 going to Vice President William Leibensperger.

The union says these reimbursements cover expenses including travel and supplies.

Spokesman Mike Mahoney said the salaries are appropriate for a staff that provides lobbying, research, education-improvement initiatives, legal services and communications comparable to other similar-size affiliates of the National Educational Association.

In response to the teachers' pay falling last year, the OEA froze the salaries of five top officials, Mahoney said.

Members pay $477 in annual dues to the union, which represents 130,000 people statewide, including Columbus public teachers.

"It's a very democratically run organization," Mahoney said. "We don't keep (the salaries) a secret."

But the leaders of some OEA locals contacted across the state said they had no idea that state union officials were paid so much.

"I am a little shocked," said Lima Education Association President Lori Ruschau-Will, whose local signed a new contract last year that included no pay raises.

"I was not aware that they made that much money.

"I think the classroom teachers have a problem with any management person making six figures. That's because they're not in the trenches dealing with the students day to day. Education is supposed to be about the students."

New teachers in Bucyrus are paid about $28,300 a year, and the top salary is a little more than $57,800, said Fourman, of the Bucyrus Education Association.

He said the state union officials' salaries would "raise an eyebrow" among teachers.

"I certainly think that somewhere out there, there would be an educator who would be surprised or resentful that (OEA officials are) making a lot more than the teachers in the classrooms," Fourman said.

The state's second-largest teachers union, the 16,250-member Ohio Federation of Teachers, paid President Susan Taylor $22,733 for the fiscal year that ended in June.

At the same time, the union reimbursed Cincinnati Public Schools, where Taylor is on leave from her teaching job, $100,700 for her salary and benefits.

The benefits account for about one-third of the reimbursement, Taylor estimated.

None of the federation's employees is paid more than $100,000.

The OEA does not report individual employees' benefits.

bbush@dispatch.com
Click image to enlarge

Tom Curtis: Follow-up letter to Bill Leibensperger

July 7, 2008

Hello Bill,

Your failure to respond to my request (below) for a list of positive changes Damon alone brought to STRS comes as no surprise because, simply put, you can't think of any. I can't, either. Your lack of response certainly reflects the mentality of OEA's leadership as it is today: totally out of touch with the original purpose of the organization.

It is clear to me that those in OEA's leadership positions now are far more interested in "being" than in "doing;" being "important" (and rich, compared to the membership) rather than doing a real service to your members (and keeping THEIR dues down). I am well aware, from my own observations, that the OEA leadership will lie and do everything it takes to keep the money coming in from the teachers, money you gladly spend with little oversight. In my mind, the present OEA leadership is no better than the past OEA-connected STRS Board members who ended up in court with ethics convictions. The apples didn't fall far from the tree, did they?

Had Dennis Leone, John Lazares and CORE never come along, you would no doubt have been heaping praise on Damon Asbury for continuing "business as usual" -- continued, unchecked spending while retiree funds hemorrhaged out of control, as in the Herb Dyer days. You and I both know the credit you gave Damon belongs to Dennis Leone, but I don't ever expect you to admit that. That's not "the OEA way." OEA's blinders are bigger than their glasses.

Never ONCE did I see any OEA leaders raise any objections during the entire campaign to end the outrageous spending and unethical policy and management practices on the part of Herb Dyer and the "old Board." Why? Because you were the "power behind the power": the rotten core of the apple, the part teachers never see, but which many of us now see only too clearly. Much of the mess at STRS has been cleaned up, thank God, but there's still plenty that still needs cleaning up. I know I can count on OEA to continue blocking reform every step of the way, because nothing has really changed at 225 E. Broad (OEA). A new face here and there, but the mentality is the same ole' same ole'. Your logo should be those three monkeys, adapted to reflect the OEA way: "See only what OEA wants you to see; hear only what OEA wants to hear and speak only what OEA wants you to hear." Your House of Cards would fall in a minute if the OEA membership could see their leadership for what it really is.

Tom Curtis
-----
June 22, 2008

Bill,

Please humor me by listing all of the wonderful changes that Damon Asbury brought to fruition during his watch at the STRS. But please, only ones not initiated by Dennis Leone.

I look forward to your timely response.

Tom Curtis
-----

Note: The above message was sent 7/7/08 via e-mail to a number of OEA leaders as well as the members of the STRS Board. The inboxes of the following OEA people refused it: Bill Leibensperger, Patricia Frost-Brooks, Dennis Reardon and the OEA Executive Committee. Looks like the Three Monkeys ("See no evil...") are definitely doing their job! KBB

Editorial comment: Why is Damon credited for Dennis Leone's work?

June 22, 2008

At last Thursday's STRS Board meeting (6/19/08), one of the public speakers was OEA's Bill Leibensperger, who spoke on behalf of the Healthcare Advocates. He was there to commend Damon Asbury for everything he had done for us during his five years as executive director of STRS. That was all well and good, but then he went on to praise him for all the changes Dennis Leone had brought about!!!
For example:
...1. "A new culture has taken hold at STRS."
...2. "Today STRS is more transparent in its operations....."
...3. ".....more inclusive in its decision-making....."
...4. ".....and more accountable to its members and stakeholders."
...5. "Under your leadership, STRS has regained the trust and confidence of its members. You have truly changed the lives of STRS members for the better."

Not ONE of these changes would have occurred had it not been for Dennis Leone, NOT Damon Asbury. Had Damon had his way, I doubt seriously if ANY of these changes would EVER have taken place. Why does Mr. Leibensperger heap all this praise on the wrong person? Many retirees who are close observers of STRS have a pretty good idea why he might do this.

Did anyone notice that the top "leaders" of OEA (Gary Allen, Patricia Frost-Brooks and Bill Leibensperger) have all separately attacked Dennis Leone over these very issues? Does anyone remember how, in the recent past, Bill Leibensperger and Patricia Frost-Brooks addressed the STRS Board and specifically recommended, publicly, that the Board NOT adopt Dr. Leone's motions which were very carefully designed to accomplish the very reforms Mr. Leibensperger cites above?

Did anyone notice that Damon Asbury actually opposed the Leone motions that got through, that hit those very issues? Gee, and now Bill Leibensperger is praising Damon, giving HIM credit for all the things he resisted and Dennis Leone accomplished? Oh my -- where has Mr. Leibensperger been?

And by the way, where is ORTA these days? Their executive director shows up at meeting after meeting of the STRS Board, but why? She doesn't make speeches and she doesn't take positions, when to do so could be so very helpful to retirees. Never once has ORTA ever supported one single motion that Dennis Leone has proposed that would benefit retired educators in accordance with ORC 3307.15. Why? Could it be that ORTA blames him for the fact that their former president (and former STRS Board member) was convicted on ethics charges, along with a former OEA president (another former STRS Board member) and a whole group of former STRS Board members who also had very strong OEA ties? Hmmm.....now I think I'm beginning to understand why Mr. Leibensperger chooses to heap accolades on Damon Asbury for everything Dennis Leone accomplished but Damon resisted. Duh! Pretty slick.

I also attended the Friday morning session of the STRS Board meeting (6/20/08), where Damon Asbury made a formal recommendation to the Board that the STRS 16-page staff travel guidelines NOT be a Board policy, but instead, a part of Administrative Regulations. I couldn't believe my ears! This would give the executive director carte blanche to do anything he wants, without a policy in place! Sure, go to Honolulu and spend a couple weeks there at our expense if you want! Fly first class and take your spouse (or your significant other) and stay at the fanciest hotel you can find, in the fanciest suite they have; live it up -- eat and drink all you want at the fanciest restaurants in town -- we'll pay for it all!! Heck, why don't you rent a limo while you're at it, we'll pay for that, too. Yes.....can't you see it now? Gee.....bring back "Hairspray" and King's Island and baseball games and parties with booze while you're at it. How 'bout a bunch of you going to Africa for a couple weeks? You could spend an hour or two looking over a possible investment site, but have a good time the rest of the time -- take safaris, whatever. Sure, STRS will pay for it -- heck, why not?

What I don't understand is why, two weeks before the June Board meeting, Damon agreed with Dennis on about a dozen changes that needed to be made in the 16-page travel guidelines for staff, to make them more consistent with the travel policy for Board members, but he also felt strongly that this document should NOT be adopted as a Board policy. Dr. Leone stated very clearly in Friday morning's Board session that his chief concern was the fact that if the 16-page document was NOT a board policy, the executive director would have the power to change ANYTHING in it, at any time, without Board approval. Duh!! Just why was this so difficult for Damon to understand? The entire Board got it. After Dr. Leone made a formal motion, seconded by John Lazares, for the 16 pages to be adopted as Board policy, the Board (after hearing some concerns expressed by Board members Ramser, Meuser and Cervantes), unanimously approved his motion with a 10-0 vote.

To those who might say "But why must you have it in writing? It shows you don't TRUST your executive director!" I say it has absolutely nothing to do with trust; we are just plain stupid NOT to have it in writing, especially when you look at past STRS history!

Think of the words of Baron John Acton (1834-1902): "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." Or the words of a former British prime minister, William Pitt the Younger, in a speech to the UK House of Lords in 1770, "Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it." Then go back and examine the records of the past two executive directors.

And while you're at it, take a close look at exactly who was close to those executive directors and supported (yea, encouraged) their every move. We all know very well who those parties were and what they stood to gain by being "in cahoots" with the executive directors of that era. With policy in place (and reminding everyone that only the BOARD makes policy, NOT the executive director -- EVER), there is no question what the rules are -- for EVERYBODY -- and all decisions must be made accordingly. We "trusted" once upon a time -- and were left holding the bag. Never again!


I do wish Damon a pleasant retirement. He did his best.....as did his predecessor. Welcome, Mike Nehf -- you will be a badly needed breath of fresh air!!

Kathie Bracy

A word of truth

Dennis Leone to Ryan Holderman and John Curry, May 11, 2008
Subject: RE: A word of truth

What CORE did (shame on CORE) was that Lloyd Knudson gave 2 blockbuster speeches refuting the back-to-back rhetoric of Bill Liebensperger and Patricia Frost-Brooks – when both suggested that the STRS Board should reject all 5 of the governance motions (3 passed) that I recommended. Tim Myers fits this picture perfectly. What actually was worse than Myers’ “crackpot” statement was his assertion (in writing) that my recommendations and calls for reform in 2003 were already under way at STRS. (Yeah, right!) It’s so typical OEA. Gary Allen called me “destructive” and a person with “unclear motives,” Conni Ramser called me “childish,” Jim McGreevy called me a “spoiled brat” and Myers called me a “crackpot.” So OEA.

Dennis Leone

From Ryan Holderman, May 11, 2008
Subject: Fw: A word of truth

Dear One & All:

I did find a single word of truth in the talking points put out by Whitehall Education Association:

"CORE’s attacks on OEA are viscous, unfounded and irrational."

What Dennis Leone and CORE had to say about OEA sponsored former STRS Board members' complicity in the mismanagement at STRS did stick all the way to court!

Later,
Ryan

-----

Note from John...here's the link to what Ryan was referring to:

http://whitehallea.com/files/Talking_Points_on_STRS_Campaign.pdf

-----
Gee -- it's interesting that he labels our "attacks" as "viscous." At least he didn't say they were "vicious." KBB

Dennis Leone on 'Spin City': Nearly all policy changes of past 4 years needed because of OEA and ORTA's look-the-other-way culture

From Dennis Leone, April 12, 2008
Subject: RE: Spin City...another name for Columbus, OH?

Yes, and given all that happened between 1995 and 2003 under the leadership of the Dyer, the Fab 5, and Endry, it is astonishing to read that OEA -- under the so-called Plan B -- wants a board that “focuses on strategic governance matters rather than operational issues” and “observes a clear separation of board and CEO roles,” yet OEA (and in particular, Leibensperger and Frost-Brooks) have publicly resisted all of the recent motions I made which were designed to do precisely those things.

I guess OEA and ORTA still would prefer the executive director to have the unilateral power to “adopt all further policies” instead of being responsible for operations and administrative regs. I guess OEA and ORTA would prefer for the executive director to have the unilateral power to give rehired retirees at STRS all of their accumulated sick leave from their previous school district, even if they were paid for those days upon retirement. I guess OEA and ORTA would prefer the executive director to have the unilateral power to adopt his own policies pertaining to severance checks for laid off employees and the payment of private/personal legal fees of STRS employees. I guess OEA and ORTA would prefer the board to vote on big ticket contract issues without so much as having a summary of proposals before voting

In fact, nearly ALL of the 25-30 policy changes that have occurred in the past 4 years were needed because of a look-the-other-way culture that OEA and ORTA were part of. OEA is an embarrassment to active teachers. ORTA is an embarrassment to retirees. Some things never change.

Dennis Leone

For active teachers: How OEA spends your money

OEA Disbursements for fiscal year 9/1/2006 - 8/31/2007 as filed with the U.S. Department of Labor (partial list)

Here are some samples showing combined salaries and other disbursements for September 1, 2006 through August 31, 2007 (scroll down for link to complete report):

Disbursements to Officers (partial list)

Gary N. Allen, President $187,842

Patricia N. Frost-Brooks, Vice President $173,910

James L. Timlin, Secretary-Treasurer $173,312

William N. Leibensperger, Past Treasurer $68,579

....Total Officer Disbursements $725,497

Disbursements to Employees (partial list)

Dennis M. Reardon, Executive Director $195,385

Mark A. Allison, CIS Consultant $133,144

John N. Avouris, LRC (Labor Relations Consultant) $105,563

Bryant N. Warren, LRC $101,905

Cecelia N. Weldon, LRC $141,055

Cathy M. White, LRC $123,286

Kent N. Williams, LRC $133,488

Debra S. Wing, LRC $115,684

James S. Yoder, Regional Director $158,038

Norman N. Young, LRC $138,398

Susan M. Babcock, Dir. Human Resources $140,805

Ann N. Bayou, LRC $136,674

Marla N. Bell-Gombita, LRC $134,688

Timothy N. Bibler, LRC $133,616

Susan C. Biddle, LRC $135,194

Rodney E. Bird, LRC $134,238

Lee E. Blandon, LRC $115,834

George M. Bozovich, LRC $137,838

Robin N. Busby, LRC $148,847

Gary P. Carlile, LRC $129,410

Elizabeth M. Chandler, LRC $126,992

Peggy N. Chavez, LRC $135,274

Melissa A. Clark, Lobbyist $117,880

Darren A. Clum, CIS Consultant $132,781

Joseph C. Cohagen, Dir. Acctg & Bldg SVC $123,450

Patricia N. Collins-Murd, Reg. Dir. $136,613

Shawn N. Cooper, LRC $105,065

Mark N. Constantino, LRC $118,872

Douglas N. Crawford, LRC $135,028

Donald N. Dalton, LRC $134,951

Robert G. Davis, Lobbyist $107,486

Vicky L. Davis, LRC $133,838

Daniel N. Day, LRC $94,511

Matthew M. Dotson, Lobbyist $119,058

Betty N. Elling, LRC $106,114

Fritz N. Fekete, Dir. Info. Syst. $156,676

Ruth A. Field, LRC $136,881

Linda K. Fiely, Dir. Leg. Serv. $124,863

Kevin N. Flanagan, Reg. Dir. $158,323

Randall V. Flora, Ed. Reform Cons. $112,450

Karen N. Fulton, Reg. Dir. $153,168

Gregg M. Gascon, LRC $139,553

Karen N. Gee, LRC $135,465

John R. Grafton, LRC $119,963

Stuart C. Graham, CIS Consult. $135,152

Russell N. Harris, Ed. Research Con. $132,505

Jonathan S. Hart, CIS Cons. $104,540

Lynn N. Heitzman, LRC $133,090

Edward N. Helvey, LRC $138,884

Donald J. Holub, Research Cons. $114,560

Lynette N. Howell, LRC $127,890

Talmadge N. Hutchins, LRC $135,379

Paul A. Jewell, Research Cons. $116,089

Charles N. Johnson, LRC $134,472

Rachelle N. Johnson, Assn. Counsel $122,479

Jan N. Jones, LRC $133,556

Bonnie N. Joseph, LRC $133,872

Thomas A. Jowhar, LRC $134,782

Suzanne N. Kaszar, LRC $145,267

Jeffrey L. Kestner, LRC $143,772

Amber N. Kirkwood, LRC $103,483

Gary N. Kovach, LRC $102,752

Annette M. Kubiske, LRC $135,319

Kimberly N. Lane, LRC $139,418

Chloann N. Leidy, LRC $122,902

Mark N. Linder, LRC $114,342

Linda S. Lindsey, LRC $135,467

Lavonne N. Lobert-Edmo, LRC $116,692

Michael N. Mahoney, Dir. Communications $127,348

Victor V. Marchese, LRC $122,556

James E. Martin, AED Bus. Services $169,292

Robert J. Matkowski, LRC $134,111

Michael N. Matusick, LRC $135,374

Linda N. May, LRC $131,161

Deborah N. Maynard, LRC $96,283

Michael N. McEachern, LRC $111,107

Bonnie N. McMurray, LRC $135,447

Darlene N. Messer, LRC $111,692

Donald C. Messer, LRC $124,107

Diane N. Miller, LRC $143,216

Timothy N. Miller, LRC $140,415

Vickie N. Miller, LRC $111,547

Henry A. Musilli, LRC $133,356

Alfred N. Nelson, LRC $123,701

Julie A. Newhall, Editor $122,061

Jeffrey F. Nolasco, LRC $119,493

Parry L. Norris, Reg. Dir. $133,941

Kathleen N. O'Connell-Burt, LRC $113,536

William N. Otten, LRC $135,818

Maureen N. Patrick, Production Cons. $122,143

William N. Pearson, LRC $146,582

Dennis F. Peltola, LRC $133,753

Cynthia N. Petersen, Ed. Reform Cons. $133,680

Herman K. Pipe, LRC $112,217

Michele L. Prater, Media Rel. Cons. $104,266

Deidra M. Reese, Dir. Gov. SVC $141,948

Marci D. Reimund, LRC $133,460

Thomas M. Renaud, LRC $134,228

Daniel N. Rivera, AED Mem. Services $154,673

Lora L. Rumsey, LRC $104,805

Sheila A. Saad, LRC $130,493

Venita N. Shoulders, LRC $142,731

Rebecca Y. Slaughter, Mgr. Gov. Real. $92,254

Carrie N. Smolik, LRC $132,134

Jerry N. Squires, LRC $138,272

Edward N. Stephenson, LRC, $133,633

Mary E. Suchy, Dir. Membership $133,633

Melodie T. Gettman, LRC $119,562

Diane N. Tieman, LRC $145,796

Jennifer N. Toth, LRC $111,773

Helen L. Trapp, LRC $119,483

Dolores N. Tufaro, LRC $98,063

Patricia N. Turner, Research Cons. $133,952

Eric J. Urban, LRC $114,636

Rebecca S. Villamagna, LRC $133,642

....Total Employee Disbursements: $20,950,902 [which includes the partial list above]

To see the complete report filed with the U.S. Department of Labor in November 2007, go to http://erds.dol-esa.gov/query/getOrgQry.do and enter "512-490" in the "File Number" box. Hit "Submit," then click on "2007 Report" under "Fiscal Year." To view reports dating from 2000, click on "National Education Asn Ind State Association, State Affiliate O," under "Affiliation/Organization Name."

SB 264 (teachers' right to strike) and educating an educator re: STRS and CORE

Kathie Bracy to Phil Hayes, February 5, 2008
Subj: Good session in the Hearing Room today

Hi Phil --

It was really good to meet you and Greg [Goodlander] today. Between the echoing acoustics and my bad hearing, I couldn't hear everything you said in your testimony, but what I did hear sounded like you were presenting a strong case for retaining teachers' right to strike. What clout do teachers have, ultimately, if they can't hold that over the heads of administration at the bargaining table? It's hard for me to fathom that legislators think they can legislate away what I consider a basic right. The legislature is definitely NOT teacher-friendly these days, particularly in regard to the public schools. They would love to break up the unions, destroy the public schools and get their hands on our pension fund. We are constantly fighting them.

HB 315 is our big issue right now, as it would preserve healthcare mainly for those of you who haven't retired yet by providing a dedicated revenue stream to keep our HC from disappearing altogether. Unless this bill is passed or some other solution comes along, our healthcare fund will start eating at the principle in 2009, and in a few years it won't be there at all for any of us. Not much for you active teachers to look forward to. Difficult for school boards to do their share of the funding, but disastrous if something isn't done.

Mary Ellen Angeletti, who was with me today, is vice president of CORE (Concerned Ohio Retired Educators), our grassroots organization of retired and active educators that is working for reform at STRS. She does want to be on your mailing list.

I am pasting below several posts from my blog in the last few days, where some of us wrote responses to a person from STRS (an anonymous writer, possibly a spouse of someone who works at STRS) which sum up our history in a nutshell, and which will also help you understand the need for reform at STRS and the rift between our organization and OEA. There is a search engine on my blog; if you use keywords such as "Frost-Brooks," "Leibensperger" and [xxx] or pull up posts added after the 12/13/07 STRS Board meeting, you will get some recent insights. We would like very much to work with OEA (most of us are life members of OEA, ORTA, etc.), but so far such attempts have not been fruitful.

Sorry this is so long -- I know you don't have a lot of time to read it, but there are things that the active teachers need to know. We are well aware they are overwhelmed with NCLB and don't have the time to become informed on what's really going on at STRS, or how seriously their lives will be impacted by what is happening there. We also don't have the resources to really get the word out to them. If you do nothing else but put this aside to read another time, I think you will find it worth your while.

Thank you for all the tireless work you do for students and teachers. Keep it up, especially your legislative involvement. Good luck with this bill; I'll be eager to hear how it comes out. Again, if we can do anything to help with this or any other cause that will help teachers, kids or the public schools, please feel free to ask.

Kathie Bracy
http://kathiebracy.blogspot.com/

Phil Hayes is a high school social studies teacher in the Columbus City Schools, an active member of the Columbus Education Association and editor/publisher of The CEA Blog. On February 5, 2008, he presented testimony before the Ohio Senate Education Committee in opposition to SB 264, which would strip teachers of their right to strike. He made reference to the last strike the CEA was involved in, the strike of 1975. Mary Ellen Angeletti and I both walked the line that year. KBB

Tom Curtis re: Accountability of STRS Board members

From Tom Curtis, January 22, 2008
Subject: Accountability Of STRS Board Members

Hello STRS Stakeholders,

It sure would seem that the stakeholders of the STRS should be able to find some way to bear pressure on STRS board members who will not answer reasonable questions about their voting records. Especially those voting against motions that are clearly beneficial to every stakeholder. In my opinion, that goes against their fiduciary responsibility.

Why are we not able to come together and bring this about? So many of us have taken the time to write these board members and ask for some accountability, but receive little or no response at all. Rarely do we receive a well thought out and to-the-point response. It does not seem justified that these individuals can simply thumb their noses at their stakeholders.

We must once again begin to contact the people in the various legal offices within our state government to find out if such accountability is possible, and if not, why not? Someone has to listen to our concerns, we just have to find that person that will make that happen. Do they exist? I am optimistic that they do and we must locate them.

In addition to this, can the stakeholders bring pressure upon the OEA/OFT to keep them from controlling the STRS board? They can and have so easily controlled the STRS board by throwing large sums of money at the election of a candidate they support (a candidate they have brainwashed with their union mentality and greed). Regardless of how these union supported board members protest, they have been brainwashed by a union and that is a tragedy for the STRS stakeholder. My bigger question to these individuals is why, they do not get paid for their efforts at the local level, whereas the OEA leaders are handsomely paid. It makes no sense at all!

Helloooooo..........the OEA leadership did absolutely nothing to support and back the OEA/STRS stakeholder, when 5 past board members (all OEA supported for election) repeatedly broke the law, as they went about the business of spending our retirement funds like kids in a candy store. In the end, their spending for travel was mostly for their own benefit and did little to benefit the stakeholder.

The OEA is the union so many of us supported throughout our careers and they did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! That, my friends, was a conscious disregard for their stakeholders and educators as a whole. The OEA leadership should be ashamed of themselves, but obviously they are not.

We have the knowledge of what has taken place in the past, present and what will likely happen in the near future. If we cannot bring accountability to the STRS board, history is bound to repeat itself.

So I ask each of you, do we the stakeholders have the capability as a group to bring pressure to bear on those board members that will not respond to our concerns for accountability?

If you believe we do, then let's put together a plan different from what we have been doing thus far. It's simply called, plan your work and work your plan.

Let's begin to research if we have the right to ask for accountability. If we do, then let's find out who is responsible for bringing that to fruition. We have a CORE treasury. We need to utilize some of that money to bring about the results we desire. Are we doing that at present? I cannot say for sure, because I stepped away from my active participation in CORE because it was making me ill.

Time is and has been wasting by continuing the methods we have been using to date. Stakeholders are making outstanding presentations to the board each and every month, but so many on the board do not even acknowledge what they have heard. That is a travesty!

John Lazares leaves the board this coming August and Dennis Leone the following August. The board will undoubtedly return to the inept board of the most recent past, which rubber stamped most anything brought to them by the administration. That, my friends, is exactly what the president of the OEA requested of the board when she recently spoke before them! Show a strong united front and vote as a whole! She obviously is not the least bit concerned that some of these people are not even qualified by any stretch of the imagination to serve on a board of an $80 billion dollar enterprise. Just who is she really posturing for?

On May 16, 2003, Dr. Dennis Leone, forced by the arrogant past executive director of the STRS, wrote and presented his historical paper addressing many of his concerns about the financial mismanagement of the STRS by both the board and the administration. Was this and all of his efforts to date in vain? God I sure hope not.

Sincerely,
Thomas Curtis
CORE member

Lloyd Knudsen’s speech to STRS Board, January 17, 2008

Good afternoon. My name is Lloyd Knudsen. I was a 30-year teacher in the Woodridge Local Schools of Summit County.

I was not here for the December STRS board meeting to hear the OEA President address this board. But after reading her speech I think it’s fair to say that OEA thinks several members of this board (with their incessant questioning and amending of board policies) are NOT being very good “team players”. You’re supposed to act as a team, right? OEA would tell you there’s no “I” in “team.”

Let me give you one retiree’s opinion on that topic. I have been coming to STRS board meetings for the last three and a half years. There have been more thoughtful questions raised and open and honest discussion of STRS issues by this board in the past six months than I witnessed in the entire three year period prior to that. Please do NOT let last month’s public reprimand by the OEA president quiet your voices or your sometimes “heated” discussions.

OEA would have us believe that a board that sits calmly and politely agreeing on everything or in other words that that “speaks with one voice” is a good thing. I would suggest that prior to SB 133 that’s exactly the type of STRS Boards we had. Boards prior to SB 133 had only nine members -- with five of those members being active teachers who usually enjoyed OEA support. Time after time with one calm, polite and collective voice, our OEA majority Boards agreed to build that magnificent new STRS building; agreed to give virtually every STRS employee a bonus just for doing his/her job; agreed to give access to subsidized day care to all employees; agreed to spend pension money on lavish STRS parties and trips; and even agreed to accept gifts for themselves from our STRS vendors.

The “one voice” Boards didn’t serve us well then and they won’t serve us well now. Each of you has a voice on this board. Use it and don’t let OEA or anyone else try to silence you.

OEA’s President also inferred in her speech that certain recent Board motions “undermine trust and confidence” in STRS. I’m not sure whose trust and confidence OEA thinks is being undermined, but let’s look at the possible candidates. Is it our state politicians? Isn’t that the same group that interfered in our Sudan investments? Isn’t that the same group that demanded Buy Ohio? Isn’t that the same group that continues to siphon money from our public schools to give to charter schools? And, isn’t that the same group that has already declared HB 315 dead without a hearing? It’s like calling the kettle black! Who has a lower trust and confidence score with the public than politicians?

Do our Executive Director and staff feel undermined? I think we’ve heard this “cry wolf” claim before. Not long ago it was rumored our investment staff felt threatened by the reevaluation of their bonus program and that they would leave en masse. It hasn’t happened. It was also rumored that the de-subsidizing of the child care program would cause staff members to leave en masse. It hasn’t happened. I suspect our STRS staff (that day in and day out does an excellent job) realizes that even without some of their prior perks – they work for an excellent employer.

That leaves only the active and retired teachers. Do they feel a lack of trust and confidence in STRS? STRS’s own surveys report member confidence at very high levels. Many actives and retirees I talk to ask, “Things are getting better down there, right?” And I agree with them that they are. And they will continue to get better as long as we have a Board like this one that takes its STRS oversight responsibility seriously.

Do we have a confidence and trust problem at STRS? I believe only in the mind of the messenger – OEA. They see their influence on the STRS board agenda slipping and they don’t like it. So they tell us the sky is falling. Look up, it’s still there.

I will conclude by offering a resolution to OEA much like they offered to our STRS Board last month. Your unwritten motto of “See no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil” of STRS is not productive. Your apparent approach of being the STRS cheerleader at these meetings, offering endless praise of STRS without ever offering one iota of constructive criticism is not productive. Your leadership boasts of “representing” thousands of active teachers statewide. If you truly want to represent active teachers (and not just take their dues money) please support this ENTIRE board in making positive changes to STRS instead of trying so desperately to maintain the status quo.

Thank you for letting me speak to you today.

Famous Quotes: A Trip Down Memory Lane

Remember these?

Watch this column, as quotes are added from time to time.

"I will consider responding to your records request when and if I have time, and that's not likely to be soon" (Former STRS executive director Herb Dyer, [convicted on ethics charges] responding to Dennis Leone's letter in Dec., 2002)

"The Board decides what's fair and it's the Board members' money to spend as they see fit." (Herb Dyer, letter to retiree Joe Gebhardt)

"It's a drop in the bucket." (Former Board member Jack Chapman [convicted on ethics charges] re: the total cost of his meeting expenses, in comparison to the total STRS assets)

"We don't get paid as Board members, so we deserve these things." (Jack Chapman)

"This is unfair because they don't get paid as board members" (Former Board member Hazel Sidaway's lawyer, H. Ritchie Hollenbaugh, on her day of conviction on ethics charges)

"I think it is clearly overkill.....the system is unfair to people that make an innocent mistake." ~ Attorney H. Ritchey Hollenbaugh, who represented several ex-STRS Board members convicted of ethics charges

"His (Leone's) report is destructive........it contains misrepresentations" (Gary Allen, President of OEA, June 2003)

"_________________________" (ORTA, after Dennis Leone's investigative report came out in May, 2003) (You're right -- they had nothing to say.)

"We could have discovered what Dennis Leone found, but we've been busy doing other things for retirees." (ORTA Executive Director Dave Travis)

"The initials S.T.R.S. are not supposed to stand for Spending, Travel, Retreats and Sculptures." (Dennis Leone, addressing the STRS Board in August of 2003)

"They're like kids in a candy store" (State Representative Michelle Schneider, regarding the spending habits of former STRS Board members and staff members).

"Beware of malcontent retirees." (Former ORTA president and former STRS Board chair, Joe Endry [convicted on ethics charges], departing words in ORTA Quarterly)

"I was doing board business when I attended that Broadway show" (Hazel Sidaway/Joe Endry)

"What would Rome look like today if they hadn't supported the arts?" (Former STRS Board member [forced out by SB 133] Jim Petro, regarding the $869,000 spent on sculptures at STRS)

"I am not against bonus checks at all." (Former Board member [forced out by SB 133] Betty Montgomery, upon learning that some 500 STRS employees received annual bonus checks)

"I really should have been more vigilant." (Montgomery, at Senate hearings)

"Shut up!" (Former Board member & Chair Bob Brown, directed at Leone in public Board meeting, 2005)

"It is questionable whether Leone actually will be on the ballot because it is unclear whether he is working in a school district." (OEA's Gary Hollow, in NEOEA-R newsletter, after Leone filed his Board candidacy petitions in February of 2005)

"You're being intrusive." (Former appointed Board member Judith Fisher [who resigned in August, 2006], about Leone operating budget questions)

"You're micro-managing" (Fisher, about Leone vendor contract questions)

"I agree with Judith on this." (Former appointed Board member Geoffrey Meyers [who resigned 10/26/06], about Leone vendor contract questions, four months after Fisher left the board)

"He's childish, he needs parenting, and if he were a student in my class he'd be suspended from school." (Board chair Conni Ramser, about Leone, in the Canton Repository)

"We just disagree on whether he's a savior or a crackpot." (OEA's Tim Myers, regarding Leone)

"This is a waste of time." (Ex-Board member Geoff Meyers, about Leone question regarding Ferguson contract)

"Any Board involvement in vendor contracts impairs the staff's ability to negotiate" (New Board member Mark Meuser, October 2006)

"See, you don't have to go to Florida to find a good meeting; you can attend one right here in Columbus!" (ORSC President Aristotle Hutras at February, 2007 STRS Board retreat)

"I've never been to Lindey's in my life!" (STRS Board chairman Conni Ramser at a November, 2006 Board meeting, re: a dinner voucher with her name on it) [Her union friends seemed to regard it as a mild memory slip and she was sweetly forgiven; most assuredly, it would have been a different story altogether, from their viewpoint, had a certain other Board member or two made the same denial, then were later found to have received such a dinner with an STRS-purchased credit card.]

"Well, we can't put everything in the booklet!" ~ An STRS rep to a sick retiree calling about a drug that was denied, even though it was on the list of approved medication with prior authorization and listed in the 2006 STRS HC booklet as "approved."

"I have consulted our executive board and they agreed with me that there is no reason to publish an article that will be about 3 or 4 weeks old by the time it is in the hands of our members." ~ Tom Seamon, editor of the ORTA Quarterly, to Dennis Leone, after refusing to publish his March 2007 STRS Report (Keep this quote in mind each time you read your Quarterly.)

"Because we don't have to" ~ Response to Dennis Leone after he asked why the Board wasn't voting publicly, after a secret ballot was taken to appoint Conni Ramser to the STRS Board (to replace Jack Chapman) and Tai Hayden (to replace Michael Billirakis).

"We are looking at it." ~ Marc Dann (4/8/07) after being asked to examine the practice of secret balloting, with regard to its legality, during open Board meetings at Ohio STRS.

“Oh my God,” said state Rep. Michelle Schneider, R-Cincinnati, and sponsor of legislation to reform the state’s five pension systems.

“They just don’t get it. The nightmare continues.” ~ Canton Repository article (by Paul Kostyu), May 12, 2004: STRS workers to get $3.85M in bonuses

State Attorney General Marc Dann, addressing March 2007 STRS Board meeting; from the official minutes of the meeting: "Mr. Dann said he agreed [with Board member Dennis Leone] that it was a conflict of interest for the Attorney General to sit on the Board. Mr. Dann also said he will strongly exercise his independence and that he is only accountable to the people of the State of Ohio. He said he will offer his independent judgment as at first, but if necessary, he will take action against his own clients in order to make sure the law is followed. He said he understands STRS Ohio exists to serve its members, not serve itself and he will certainly be mindful of that going forward."

“You will NOT insult MY people in MY house!” ~ Patricia Frost-Brooks, when Dennis Leone was criticizing the voting practices of certain board members during an OEA-R representative meeting at OEA, where Dr. Leone was the invited speaker; December 29, 2007

".....any motions before the Board that would or could undermine trust and confidence between the Board, Executive Director and Staff, are not in the best interest of the system, and, in fact, may be unnecessary and counterproductive." ~ Patricia Frost-Brooks, December 13, 2007, in a speech before the STRS Retirement Board*

[* Note: Ms. Brooks did not articulate any specific motions to which she was referring.]

"Dennis is an attack-dog." ~ An OEA-R member, January 9, 2008

Conversations with OEA VP

Any new readers interested in reading the correspondence between STRS retirees and OEA vice president Bill Leibensperger should begin with December 13, 2007 posts reporting on the December STRS Board meeting; namely the speech made by Patricia Frost-Brooks, OEA president (currently they run through Dec. 21). There is a lot to read; you will also need to navigate through articles, etc., which are interspersed along the way. (BTW, the articles are included because they affect many retirees; perhaps some actives. Some affect all STRS members.)

"I believe history has taught us the problems of hashing and rehashing the past." ~ Bill Leibensperger (12/16/07)

Thought for the day: "Those who forget the past are destined to repeat it." ~ Robert A. Heinlein

Public Speaks: Apparently it's OK for Patricia Frost-Brooks to speak for 130,000 active teachers who are young and healthy enough to work for bigger salaries than we ever dreamed of earning, but not for one retiree to speak for another retiree who is too sick (and poor) to travel many miles to speak for himself. What is wrong with this picture?